The engineer, entrepreneur, and for two years the Minister of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence leads the department that drives big digital programs. Carmen Artigas is at the helm of the management team. The digital kit, a 3,000 million euro initiative aimed at digitizing one million small and medium enterprises, and the so-called Start of the Law are part of Barcelona’s recent tech-focused stop on a long regional coverage tour by this newspaper group.
The first question asks for an assessment of the digital kit’s progress.
The minister responds that the program has set a record in public subsidies and that bureaucratic hurdles were removed. A volunteer representative role was created to route about half of the applications through a flexible channel, alongside a digitizer who helps connect companies to the program. The initial target segment, firms between ten and forty-nine employees, already shows significant traction with sixty thousand companies having requested support.
Asked whether the program anticipated lower results, the minister explains that there was even a provision to approve an extra 100 million euro tranche. While it is unclear whether the additional funds will be needed, the pace remains strong with hundreds of closures and more than one hundred twenty million euros already resolved in claims. Companies have six months to finalize deals with the digitizer after requesting coupons, and the take-up continues to grow.
When asked about the final digitalization level for SMEs once the program ends, the minister notes that precise DESI index targets are not yet fixed. Still, the project aims to deliver a substantial leap in both qualitative and quantitative terms, enabling thousands of companies to manage digital processes more efficiently. If the goal of one million beneficiaries is reached, the overall capacity could rise by roughly one third, delivering a meaningful turnover effect. A second half of the year plan includes a digital education layer for SMEs, to ensure digital adoption becomes part of everyday business culture rather than a temporary push.
Regarding whether the initiative will be treated as aid within the digital kit framework, the minister states that the mechanism will be terminated as such. The focus is on ease of access and leveraging already registered companies, with initial emphasis likely on firms with more than ten employees.
On the total budget allocation, the minister confirms 586 million euros are earmarked for talent development targeting both managers and workers. The emphasis is on re-skilling and education logistics rather than simply increasing course offerings, with the goal of directing resources toward mobilizing SMEs rather than expanding supply.
Turning to the Start-Up Law, the minister explains that negotiations are ongoing as the assembly process continues through June and plans await a summer resumption. The objective is to have the measure approved before year-end and to implement it rapidly after a final review by the parties involved. The final framework may be adjusted in response to feedback from industry players and Brussels, with a desire to avoid a narrow interpretation that excludes other local realities.
Industry concerns about the five-year eligibility window will be considered, and potential adjustments will be evaluated for applicability. The aim is to define a pragmatic European alignment while still supporting local digital entrepreneurship and access to funds across national borders, as needed by the sector.
About positioning Spain as a reference in a single technology class and the semiconductor PERTE, the minister asserts a clear ambition to lead the semiconductor sector. This leadership is viewed as beneficial for multiple industries, from automotive to advanced agriculture, and seen as a bold move to place Spain prominently on the global map of technology and manufacturing.
On whether the plan includes an artificial intelligence targeted PERTE, the minister clarifies that AI is integrated through a dedicated component rather than a standalone PERTE. Spain is expected to announce later this month that it will become the first European country to codify artificial intelligence regulation. The framework will address algorithmic auditing for non-discrimination and will seek transparency in the use of algorithms across the public sector, balancing innovation with safeguards for society and business alike.